CHEREKN

Problem Set 6

1. The catalytic reaction: A  4R, is run at 3.2 atm and 117oC in a plugflow reactor which
contains 0.01 kg of catalyst and uses a feed consisting of 20 li/h of pure unreacted A. The
results are as follows:
Run 1 2 3 4
CAin, mol/li 0.100 0.080 0.060 0.040
CAout, mol/li 0.084 0.070 0.055 0.038
(a) Find a rate equation that represents this reaction.
(b) Determine the amount of catalyst needed for 35% conversion of A to R for a feed of
2000 mol/hr of pure A at 3.2 atm and 117°C using the following reactors:
i. packed bed reactor (assume plug flow)
ii. packed bed reactor with a very large recycle rate (assume mixed flow)

2. The catalytic reaction: A  4R, is studied in a plugflow reactor using various amounts of
catalyst and 20 li/h of pure A feed at 3.2 atm and 117oC. The concentrations of A in the
effluent stream is recorded for the various runs as follows:
Run 1 2 3 4
Catalyst used, kg 0.020 0.040 0.080 0.160
CAout, mol/li 0.074 0.060 0.044 0.029
(a) Find a rate equation for this reaction using the integral method of analysis
(b) Repeat (a) using differential method

3. The following kinetic data on the reaction A  R are obtained in an experimental

packed bed reactor using various amounts of catalyst and a fixed feed rate FAo = 10
kmol/hr.
Catalyst used, kg 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

XA 0.12 0.20 0.27 0.33 0.37 0.41 0.44

(a) In designing a large packed bed reactor with feed rate FAo = 400 kmol/hr how much
catalyst would be needed for 40% conversion
(b) How much catalyst would be needed in part (b) if the reactor employed a very large
recycle of product stream

4. Gaseous A reacts (A → R) occurs in a backmix reactor with CAo = 10 mol/m3 and

catalyst weight of 4 g. From the following conversion data at various conditions find a
rate equation to represent the reaction.
Vo, m3/h 3 2 1.2
XA 0.2 0.3 0.5
5. How much catalyst is needed in a packed bed reactor for 80% conversion of 1000 m 3/hr
of pure gaseous A (CAo = 100 mol/m3) if the stoichiometry and rate are given by:
50C A mol
AR  rA 
1  0.2C A kg.h
6. Gaseous feed with A and B (vo = 10 m3/hr) pass through an experimental reactor packed
with catalyst (W = 4 kg). Reaction occurs as follows:
mol
A B R S  rA'  0.6CA C B
kg.h
Find the conversion of reactants if the feed contains C Ao = 0.1 mol/m3 and CBo = 10
mol/m3.

7. A reaction A → R is to take place on a porous catalyst pellet (dp = 6 mm, De = 10-6 m3/m
cat. s). How much is the rate slowed by pore diffusional resistance if the concentration of
reactant bathing the particle is 100 mol/m3 and the diffusion-free kinetics are given by:
-rA’’’ = 0.1(CA)2 mol/m3 cat. S

8. The first-order decomposition of A (A → R) is run in an experimental mixed flow

reactor. Find the role played by pore diffusion in these runs; in effect determine whether
the runs were made under diffusion-free, strong resistance, or intermediate conditions.
Run dp W CAo Vo XA
1 3 1 100 9 0.4
2 12 4 300 8 0.6